Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AZ ZUMAR [46]

46. Say: ”O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! All-Knower of the unseen and the seen! You will judge between your servants about that wherein they used to differ.'' 47. And those who did wrong, if they had all that is on the earth and therewith as much again, they verily, would offer it to ransom themselves therewith on the Day of Resurrection from the evil torment; and there will become apparent to them from Allah what they had not been reckoning. 48. And the evils of that which they earned will become apparent to them, and that which they used to mock at will encircle them. Allah then says:

(Say: ”O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!...'') meaning, `call you upon Allah Alone with no partner or associate, Who has created the heavens and the earth and originated them,' i.e., made them like nothing that ever before existed.

(All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!) means, what is secret and what is open.

(You will judge between your servants about that wherein they used to differ.) means, in this world; `You will judge between them on the Day when they are resurrected and brought forth from their graves.' In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Abu Salamah bin `Abdur-Rahman said, ”I asked `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, how the Messenger of Allah started his prayer when he stood up to pray at night. She said, may Allah be pleased with her: `When the Messenger of Allah stood up to pray at night, he would start his prayer with the words: ؟

(O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between Your servants concerning that wherein they differ. Guide me with regard to that wherein there is dispute concerning the truth by Your leave, for You guide whomsoever You will to the straight path.)''

(And those who did wrong,) means, the idolators.

(if they had all that is in earth and therewith as much again,)

(they verily, would offer it to ransom themselves therewith from the evil torment;) means, that which Allah has decreed for them on the Day of Resurrection. But the ransom will not be accepted from them, even if it were to be an earth-full of gold as He mentioned elswhere (3:91). Then Allah says:

(and there will become apparent to them from Allah what they had not been reckoning.) which means, when they come to realize what Allah's punishment for them will be, which they had never before imagined.

(And the evils of that which they earned will become apparent to them,) means, they will see the punishment for the forbidden actions and sins which they committed in this world.

(and that which they used to mock at will encircle them.) means, the punishment which they used to make fun of in this world will encompass them.